As dusk fell and the sun dipped toward the horizon, more and more players filled the streets of White River City.
On either side of the thoroughfare, free players haggled with shop owners over material prices or traded directly for the items they needed. Even more players gathered in groups of three to five, searching for a decent restaurant or bar to relax and show off the day's haul.
But today was a little different. Almost every player congregating in those restaurants and bars was talking about the same thing.
Stone Forest City.
"Have you heard? Stone Forest City actually has over five hundred third-tier NPCs guarding it." A level 101 Guardian Knight sitting in a bar downed a tall glass of iced beer and couldn't help but lean toward his companion.
"That video's been spreading everywhere for ages. Who doesn't know about it now?" The level 102 Elementalist beside him shot the Guardian Knight a flat look.
"Heh, that's not what I was going to say." The level 101 Guardian Knight waved a finger and grinned. "I've got a buddy doing really well in one of the superpowers — he's already a core guild member. He told me a secret. Stone Forest City was originally supposed to be besieged by all the major superpowers, but because of those third-tier NPCs, every single one of them backed off. Some superpowers even want to cooperate with Zero Wing."
"Sure, Zero Wing still can't compare to those superpowers in a lot of ways, but thanks to the advantage Stone Forest City gives them, some superpowers have already started treating Zero Wing as an equal and acknowledged its status. With cooperation from those superpowers, it probably won't be long before Zero Wing becomes another superpower in the Divine Realm."
"He said now is the perfect time to join Zero Wing. Once Zero Wing really does grow into a superpower, getting in won't be easy anymore. My buddy's already planning to leave his current guild and has invited me to join Zero Wing with him. I've been thinking about it, and I've decided to go. Why don't you come along? With your strength, once we're in Zero Wing, we'll definitely do well — maybe even become core raid members."
"Really?" The level 102 Elementalist couldn't help but ask.
And it wasn't just the Elementalist who felt a stirring of interest. The other experts in the bar were growing restless too.
Superpower recruitment standards were extremely strict, and the membership rosters of the major superpowers were already set in stone. Even if they had the strength, breaking in was nearly impossible. Zero Wing was different.
Though Zero Wing wasn't technically a superpower yet, it had already gained recognition from quite a few. With the enormous advantage of Stone Forest City, it was only a matter of time before it became a major force in the Divine Realm.
In other words, Zero Wing would be expanding aggressively in the future. After all, based on the territory it currently controlled, it was on par with a first-rate guild at best — there would be plenty of openings down the road. This was the best chance they would ever have to get in.
"Of course. Why would I lie to you? According to my buddy, several superpowers have already sent people to Zero Wing to discuss cooperation. Once that news gets out, there's no hiding it. The sooner we join while most players still don't know and the applicant pool is small, the better our odds of landing a spot on a decent team." The level 101 Guardian Knight nodded firmly. "Honestly, if your strength weren't up to par and we weren't close, I wouldn't even be asking you."
Zero Wing's recruitment standards had always been high. Becoming a core member right off the bat required an even higher bar — you practically needed to be at the half-step Expert level or above.
The Elementalist sitting across from him was a free-roaming solo player, but he also served as vice-captain of one of the Twin Towers Kingdom's top adventurer parties. His strength was already at the Expert level, which would make him a top-tier player in any first-rate guild — there'd be no problem joining a main raid squad. But because he had no interest in joining a first-rate guild and only wanted to become a main member of a superpower, he'd stayed with his adventurer party all this time.
"Deal. I'll contact the party leader and wrap up a few things, then we'll head to Zero Wing." The level 102 Elementalist looked at the earnest Guardian Knight and nodded, a flicker of desire and anticipation in his eyes.
With the Elementalist's ready agreement, the other experts in the bar grew even more restless.
Zero Wing's strength and guild foundations had already been acknowledged by numerous superpowers. This was a chance for them to leap from obscurity to greatness. Seize it, and in the future they could become influential figures in those kingdoms and empires — maybe even command entire regions. Their lives would change beyond recognition. After all, the major financial groups were pouring staggering amounts of capital into the Divine Realm nowadays, and the game was already beginning to influence real-world industries. Succeed here, and they would never want for anything again.
While these high-level players active throughout the Star Moon Kingdom were mulling over the prospect of joining Zero Wing, not far from Zero Wing's headquarters in a high-end restaurant, a strikingly beautiful and imposing woman was gazing quietly out the floor-to-ceiling windows at the guild's base.
"Vice President, those people say there's nothing they can do about this. Unless we find a way to deal with those third-tier NPCs, they won't lift a finger." A massive man over two meters tall walked into the room, reporting with evident frustration.
"How interesting. Zero Wing really has been hiding quite a few secrets." Han Guang Shi Ying listened to the giant's report without a hint of anger — instead, a faint smile curled at the corner of her lips. "In that case, we'll move on to the second plan. Put the acquisition of Zero Wing on hold for now and find a new substitute here on the eastern continent. Complete the guild's mission first, and while you're at it, report this to the old coach. Let him see what he can do in Fenglin City. I refuse to believe that even if we can't handle them in the Divine Realm, we can't handle them in Fenglin City."
She didn't know how Zero Wing had managed to obtain so many third-tier NPCs, but no faction in the entire Divine Realm could stand in the way of their Illusionary Mythos. Not even those super-guilds — let alone a single Zero Wing.
Moreover, while this situation might push some superpowers toward cooperation with Zero Wing, even more would begin working against it in the shadows. After all, Zero Wing had encroached on their pie — yet it remained desperately short of expert players. Such a situation couldn't last.
As Zero Wing's status soared and a flood of high-level players continued to pour in, Shi Feng had already arrived at the Candlelight Trading Company well ahead of schedule and was furiously crafting Elemental Twelve Pillars.
Thanks to the display of power at Stone Forest City, the superpowers that had originally planned to purchase only a modest number of Elemental Twelve Pillars — including Giant's Heart and the War Soul Alliance — had shifted to placing bulk orders. Combined with the Celestial Mirror's order, the total came to a full seven hundred sets, far exceeding Shi Feng's expectations.
In a single night, he had gone from comfortable to fabulously wealthy. When you factored in Stone Forest City's revenue as well, very few superpowers in the Divine Realm could rival his liquid capital. Mana Crystals in particular — four million of them. Even after spending a hefty portion on crafting Elemental Twelve Pillars, the remaining amount was staggering.
"Guild Leader, three superpowers have already approached us about cooperation. They're willing to offer a portion of their heritage sets in exchange for Elemental Twelve Pillars. On top of that, the number of experts joining our guild has surged — over two thousand new members, more than thirty at the Expert level, and even a handful of third-tier class holders. At this rate, it won't be long before our guild surpasses one hundred third-tier experts and breaks two hundred Experts." Rosewater Violet watched Shi Feng craft the Elemental Twelve Pillars, reporting with barely contained excitement.
Two hundred Experts.
That number might not compare to the superpowers, but having that many Expert-level players would be enough to stabilize Zero Wing's chronic shortage of high-level talent across its various operations. With so many Experts, they could field far more teams to push into level-100 neutral maps.
In the future, going toe-to-toe with the superpowers in terms of expert manpower was no longer impossible.